What's more important?

As the venom ran through her fragile frame, only one thought lingered in her mind. 'Where is he? I need him...'

She listened as her partner sighed for what sounded like the tenth time; he wanted nothing to do with today's mission.

"But this is so uncool! Can't they send someone else?" Soul had been going on and on saying stuff like that over and over, and Maka had finally had enough.

"Soul! Shut up!" His eyes widened at her.

"S-sorry Maka..." He lowered his head and continued to walk.

From behind Maka and Soul, Black Star and Tsubaki were walking with them. The four had been asked to go and investigate a sighting of Medusa in the far end of Death City. Kidd and the girls were supposed to go as well, but Lord Death put them on a different mission at the last second.

"So where is this stupid snake lady?" Black Star asked the group.

"She was apparently last seen just up here." Maka said.

The four came to a halt. The area seemed deserted.

"I don't see any sign of her here..." Tsubaki said more to herself then to the others.

"Don't count on it; it's Medusa we're talking about here... Soul!" Maka yelled.

"Alright..." Soul took the hint and held out his arm.

"Tsubaki!"

"Yes."

Maka grabbed Soul's hand and he shifted and changed into his beautiful black and red scythe. Tsubaki disappeared and reappeared in the shape of a ninja sword in Black Star's hands. Black Star and Maka stood back to back listening for Medusa to show her face. To Black Star's left there was a loud 'whoosh' in the wind. The miesters looked up to see Medusa on top of a broom smirking.

"How nice to see you brats around here." Medusa hissed.

"How are you alive? I thought I killed you already!" Maka yelled.

"I have my ways girl. But this time it'll be you who dies, and you won't come back like I do."

Maka tightened her grip on the shaft of the scythe and charged screaming, but even Black Star could see that she was about to fail. A playful smirk stretched across Medusa's lips. Maka jumped high in the air, ignoring all her friends' cries, and sliced through the air. Medusa laughed in Maka's face as she dodged and Maka fell on her stomach on the cold pavement.

"Maka!" Soul yelled for her when she didn't get back up.

"I-I'm f-fine..." Maka slowly stood back up and turned to face Medusa. "She's stronger."

"Huh? No offence Maka, but all you did was fail at hitting her..." Black Star stated.

"I can see her soul... it's bigger. It's like every time she 'dies' she comes back stronger." Maka explained as she glared at Medusa.

"You are a smart girl. But as I said, you won't live past today. I will only kill one of you... for now, I have other things I must do anyway."

Medusa lifted her left arm and began chanting words that the kids couldn't catch. A fairly large black snake emerged from her arm, taking the tattoo shape. It drew its fangs and was aimed right at Maka. Maka stood her ground. Once the snake reached a foot from her, she sliced at it.

"W-what!" The blade went right through it, and before Maka could move in had penetrated Maka's right shoulder.

"AHHH!" Maka dropped Soul and tried pulling the snake out of her arm, but it was useless, she kept going through it like it was a ghost.

Maka collapsed to the ground in a small heap. The snake finally let go and floated back up to Medusa.

"Look after that pathetic excuse for a kid of mine, alright Maka?" Medusa laughed as she flew off and out of sight.

Tsubaki, Soul and Black Star ran to Maka's side. She lay on the ground gripping her shoulder, screaming, crying and rocking back and forth on the ground all at the same time. Her shoulder was pouring blood, the smell filled the air.

"Maka, hold on, we are going to take you to-" Soul started.

"No! Leave me here..." Maka panted.

"We can't leave you here." Tsubaki said.

"J-JUST DO IT!"

Black Star stayed silent as he leaned in and scooped up Maka in his arms. She screamed loudly from the pain; it made him shudder.

"I'm a faster runner then you guys, I'll meet you back at the academy." Before the two could respond Black Star was already out of their sight.

Maka felt like the life was being drained out of her body. She could barely see Black Star's face. The air was cold as it whipped past her.

"B-Black S-star…"

"Are you alright Maka?" He asked not even looking at her.

"N-No… I'm not going to make it back… l-leave me here."

"No! I won't. You will make it Maka."

Maka shot him a weak look of confusion. He looked down and noticed it.

"What?"

"I-this isn't like you… s-since when do you care so much about me?"

"I-I always have Maka… I-I should probably say it now… just in case…"

"In case I die you mean?" She asked weakly.

"Y-yes…"

"T-Then what?"

"Maka… I really like you… I have since we were kids."

"Y-You have?"

"Yes, I just thought you should know…"

Maka smiled through her pain as she felt her eyes become heavy. As she began to black out she could hear Black Star's screams, and all she could do was smile.

As Maka's eyes began to open, she could hear people talking around her.

"I don't know what kind of damage she has taken until she wakes up, she's lucky to even be alive, that was strong venom…" She recognised the voice as Stein's.

"Thank you for all this Stein. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost Maka." It was Spirit. "I'll come and see her again later. Bye Stein."

"Bye."

A few seconds after Maka fully opened her eyes. Stein was across from her bed organising medicines.

"P-professor..." Maka surprised herself with how weak she sounded.

"Ah Maka, how do you feel? I believe I got all the venom out." He said as he turned to face her.

"Weak…" She said as she slowly sat up.

"Weak? Oh no… you shouldn't be feeling weak. I will be right back alright Maka?"

"Yes sir…"

Stein took off and left the room. Maka felt like her shoulder was on fire. She gripped her shoulder in pain. Looking closely she noticed that the bandage Stein had put on it was soaked in blood.

W-where is he? I need him… Maka thought.

"AHHH!" A sudden pain shot through her shoulder causing her to scream out in pain.

Stein returned with Crona, Soul, Black Star and Tsubaki. Tsubaki rushed to Maka's side and tried to calm her down. Maka thrashed about under Tsubaki's grasp. Soul and Black Star helped hold her down so Stein could stick a needle in her neck. Finally after almost ten minutes of trying Stein was able to give her the needle and she passed out in seconds.

"T-the venom Lady M-Medusa uses is strong. T-to get it all you must l-look at places you w-wouldn't have thought it made it to…" Crona explained.

Stein booted the kids out of the room and resumed looking for venom in Maka. Outside the office sat the whole group. Kid, Liz, Patty, Crona, Black Star, Tsubaki, and Soul. They all felt helpless.

By the time Stein came out of his office it was past midnight. Stein walked out to see Patty asleep on Liz's shoulder who was also asleep. Kidd was leaning against a corner alseep. Crona was in a little ball fast asleep. Soul laid flopped out in the middle of the hall snoring. Tsubaki was in a different corner asleep and Black Star was pacing the halls looking fully awake; he saw Stein.

"Stein, i-is Maka alright?" He whispered.

"She should be now, I think I got it all..."

"C-can I see her?"

"You can come in, but I believe she's alseep still."

"T-that's alright..."

Stein lead Black Star into the room. On the far side of the room laid Maka's lifeless body; the only light in the room was a small lamp on the opposite side of the room from Maka's bed. Her right shoulder was wrapped up in a half blood soaked bandage. She looked tired and beaten.

"I'm going to head home. Are you going to be leaving soon Black Star?"

"Yes sir... I'll just be a minute, I'll wake everyone on my way out too..."

"Okay, bye Black Star." Stein left the room closing the door behind him.

Black Star looked back at Maka. Black Star was half tempted to wake her up, but he decided otherwise. He headed toward the door when he heard a grunt from hehind him; turning he saw Maka trying to sit up.

"Ah- Oh, Black Star?" She said weakly.

"Ah hey Maka, feelin' better?" He scratched the back of his neck as he approtched her bed again.

"Yeah. W-what are you doin' here?"

"Everyone else is asleep in the hall, I happened to be up when Stein left, so I just came in to see you but you were asleep."

"I'm not now."

"I can see that... I should probably go though..." He laughed but it came out shaky.

"I haven't forgotten what you told me the other day..." She smirked.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about..." His gaze fell to the ground.

"Black Star..."

Black Star lifted his head and found himself locked in a gaze with Maka. She reached out and grabbed his hand pulling him closer to her; she could see the confusion and curiosity in his eyes.

"You said you always liked me, what would you say now if I felt the same?" Maka asked as a smirk found its way to her lips.

"I-I don't know..."

Maka was intreged by what she was seeing. Black Star hadn't acted like that since they were kids growing up at the academy.

"Kiss me."

"What!"

"I said kiss me..."

Black Star looked shocked. Maka just sighed and giggled as she pulled him even closer. A blush began to stretch across the ninja's face; he could feel his breath mixing with hers, he could see her beautiful emerold eyes starring at him.

Maka laughed again as she used her left arm to pull his neck closer to her until their lips connected. Black Star froze. He tried his hardest to stop a moan from escaping deep within his throat but failed.

When they pulled apart Maka pulled him back into a hug.

"B-Black Star, thank you."

"F-for what?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her fragile frame carefully.

"For bringing me here. If you hadn't I wouldn't be alive right now."

"Oh that... It was nothing..." Black Star appeared to still be speechless.

Maka pulled apart and connected her lips to his again; this time Black Star didn't freeze. He wrapped his arms around her carefully and let his tounge come out and trace Maka's bottom lip. She giggled as she opened her mouth just enough for his tounge to slip through. Their tounges entwined with one another casuing both to moan in pleasure. They explored each others mouth cavities like there was something to find. When they pulled apart they were breathless.

"I-I should go..." Black Star finally choked out.

"Please... don't... stay here... with me.. please."

"Stay? What do you mean?"

"Lay here with me overnight..."

"What! I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Well ah... Because gods don't lay with girls so why should I?" He smiled triumphantly to himself, but when he looked back at Maka, she was giving him a look of disapproval.

"What?"

"I know you're not really like that Black Star. You have a sensitve side, but I've known that even when we were kids." She smiled to him.

Black Star leaned in and kissed Maka once more before sighing.

"Fine I'll stay but what if the others see me?"

"What's it matter? If you're that worried about what they will think then you must not love me that much."

"Love? I had said like..."

"I-I meant like!" Maka rushed through her sentence as she felt her face get hot.

"So you actually love me Maka?"

"I-I suppose I do..." She kept her gaze to the ground.

"Fine, I'll lay here with you."

"W-what about the others?"

"They can get over it." He smiled at her as he walked over to the lamp.

Black Star shut off the lamp and walked through the dark and crawled into the hosptial cot with Maka. There was little space so Maka laid on her left shoulder with her head on his chest. Black Star found himself putting his arm around Maka protectivly. As the two were both about to drift off Maka had said,

"I-is it okay if I love you Black Star?"

He yawned. " I think so Maka... I think I love you aswell, just don't tell anyone I said that..."

She laughed. "Alright Black Star."